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COM DEV International Ltd.
FormerlyCOM DEV International Ltd.
Company typeLimited corporation
IndustryAerospace components
Telecommunications
Founded1974
FounderDr. Val O'Donovan
Dr. Chandra Kudsia[1]
Headquarters,
Key people
Michael Pley, CEO (2010)
Gary Calhoun, CFO (2002)
Dr. Roberta Bondar, Board member (2008)
Terry Reidel, Chair
Michael Williams, COM DEV International Products[2]
ProductsAerospace research and manufacturing
Space sciences
Telecommunication products
ParentHoneywell

COM DEV International was a satellite technology, space sciences, and telecommunications company based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.[3] The company had branches and offices in Ottawa, the United States, the United Kingdom, China and India.

COM DEV developed and manufactured specialized satellite systems, including microwave systems, switches, optical systems, specialized satellite antennas, as well as components for the aviation and aerospace industry. COM DEV also produced custom equipment designs for commercial, military and civilian purposes, as well as providing contract research for the space sciences.

History

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COM DEV International was founded in 1974 and specialized in microwave technology for the aviation and aerospace industry. The company would go on to become a leader in space satellite componentry and hardware, specializing in telecommunication systems;[3] a global designer and builder of telecommunication components and systems for space satellites; as well as one of Canada's largest sources of spacecraft instrumentation.[4]

In 2001, its space products division opened an approximate $7-million Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) development and manufacturing laboratory in its Cambridge facility.[5]

In 2005, it purchased the EMS Technologies Space Science optical division in Ottawa, formerly CAL Corporation, from MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates for $5 million.[6]

In 2007, it purchased a Passive Microwave division in El Segundo, California, for $8.75 million.[7] In 2010 it purchased Ottawa-based space instrument supplier Routes AstroEngineering for $1.7 million.[8] Later that year, it established a subsidiary called exactEarth offering global ship tracking data services.[9] In 2015, it purchased MESL Microwave of Edinburgh, Scotland.[10] Also that year, it entered the waveguide market with the purchase of Pacific Wave Systems (PWS) of Garden Grove, California.[11]

On November 15, 2015, Honeywell announced that it would acquire COM DEV, which would become part of Honeywell's Defense and Space business. On February 4, 2016, Honeywell announced that it had completed the acquisition,[12] and COM DEV has since been renamed Honeywell Cambridge.[13]

Products

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Since the 1990s the company has manufactured components for satellites including:

  • Telemetry communication and control modules
  • Multiplexer (MUX) switching networks and filters
  • Crossovers for microwave
  • Modulators, regulators
  • Surface acoustic wave filters
  • Assemblies for airline telecommunications
  • Special satellite antennas

Projects

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The company has developed and built satellites assemblies or components for over 900 satellite missions, including:

Upcoming missions include:

Past projects have also included an Automatic Identification System (AIS) validation nanosatellite launched on an Antrix PSLV-C9 vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India in April 2008. The AIS experimental spacecraft was built under contract by the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) Space Flight Laboratory (SFL), which also designated with the responsibility for its operation.[14]

Research and development

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COM DEV provided research and development work in aeronautics and space technology. Many modules of the company are used in many well-known space probes and satellites. COM DEV was known for cooperating with major space agencies, including NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), JAXA, Indian Space Research Organisation and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

See also

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References

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Citations

  1. ^ COM DEV ‘Space Pioneer’ Contributes Archived 2014-07-25 at the Wayback Machine, McMaster University, Faculty of Engineering, March 5, 2010.
  2. ^ COM DEV International Ltd., Reuters.com website.
  3. ^ a b National Defense and COM DEV International to Further Develop Satellite Communications Technology Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Government of Canada, Department of National Defense, October 13, 1998, Project number: NR-98.081.
  4. ^ Brief from COM DEV CANADA, Government of Canada, Committee Hearing WD5138047.
  5. ^ Williams, David. Com Dev Space Opens New SAW Lab., Satellite Today, May 24, 2001.
  6. ^ COM DEV acquires former EMS Technologies division Archived 2014-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, Nov. 23, 2005. Retrieved oct. 16, 2014
  7. ^ COM DEV announces official launch of US operations Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, May 22, 2007. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2014
  8. ^ COM DEV buys Ottawa-based subcontractor Routes AstroEngineering for $1.7M Archived 2014-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, April 6, 2010. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2014
  9. ^ COM DEV established subsidiary exactEarth to offer space-based AIS services starting in 2010, June 10, 2009. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2014
  10. ^ COM DEV Announces Acquisition of MESL Microwave[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ COM DEV Acquires Pacific Wave Systems[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Press & Media".
  13. ^ "Honeywell Aerospace". Archived from the original on 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  14. ^ COM DEV Launches Advanced Space-Based AIS Validation Nanosatellite, SpaceRef.com website, April 28, 2008.

Bibliography

  • Com Dev - Corporate
  • Com Dev - Financial Results 2012, accessed on 12 November 2013 (PDF, 2.3 MB)
  • Com Dev Fine Guidance Sensor for the James Webb Space Telescope, accessed on November 12, 2013
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